SVC Class of 2011 Reporting Success in Careers, Graduate School

Just a few weeks after their graduation, Saint Vincent College graduates of the class of 2011 are reporting success in obtaining jobs and gaining acceptance to graduate and professional schools.

Courtney Baum, director of the Saint Vincent College Career Center, reported that many of this year’s graduates have already reported career or continuing education success. “Ninety students got jobs right away,” she noted. “Our students are doing exceptionally well. They are getting quality jobs and being accepted into first-rate graduate and professional programs even better than last year.”

Ms. Baum noted that while some students have secure plans, others are still conducting their job search. “Some students don’t start seeking employment until after graduation,” she explained, “because they have focused on their academics or decided to wait until they return to the geographic area where they reside to seek a job closer to their families. Others are particular about the job they accept and its accompanying salary because they have invested in a quality education and know its potential value to employers. A few opt to take a year off and work part time to save money for future educational plans.”

Professional school placement this year was consistent with Saint Vincent College’s experience in recent years. “Acceptances to both law schools and schools of the allied health professions are good this year,” Ms. Baum observed. “Six students will be starting law school in the fall at excellent schools including Ohio Northern (two students), University of Richmond, University of Dayton, Washington and Lee and Dickinson.”

Pre-med students will attend Penn State Hershey, Jefferson and Temple Medical Schools, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Three pre-optometry students will attend Salus University and another will attend the University of Houston Optometry School. A pre-chiropractic student will attend Palmer School of Chiropractic. And two pre-veterinary students were accepted at Auburn and Tufts Veterinary Schools. Two pre-dental students will attend Virginia Commonwealth Dental School and the University of Pittsburgh Dental School. Other health profession students were accepted at Mount Union Physician Assistant Program, Duquesne Pharmacy, and Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center’s Genetic Counseling Program.

Other students were accepted to outstanding graduate programs including the Applied Statistics Ph.D. program at Pitt, the M.S. program at Carnegie Mellon, the masters in liberal arts program at St. John’s University, History Ph.D. Program at West Virginia University, Industrial Organizational Psychology Program at Central Michigan University, Ph.D. Program in Chemistry at Penn State University, Clinical Psychology Program at Widener University, the Marriage and Family Counseling Ph.D. Program at Drexel and the Physical Therapy and Pharmacy programs at Duquesne University. Several students were accepted into the Engineering Program at Pitt.

Despite the current economic conditions, many graduates are getting lucrative job offers. “The range of salaries that most students are reporting is from $30,000 to $50,000,” Ms. Baum said, “but some are doing even better. Some of our top students received salaries up to $65,000 while others are even collecting signing bonuses from some of the top companies.

Students in all academic majors are getting job offers from a wide variety of organizations that reads like a who’s who of major corporations. These include PNC Bank, Miller Electrical, UPMC, Bayer, Douglas Laboratory, Bechtel, U.S. Steel, Federated Investors, Tower Metrix, U.S. Thermoamp, First Commonwealth Bank, Buckeye International, Trib Total Media, and top accounting firms including Sisterson, Schneider Downs, Snodgrass, McCorey & McDowell, Ernst & Young and Deloitte.

“The quality of jobs is amazing,” Ms. Baum concluded. “Students made really good choices for themselves. We have a lot of good companies that are really committed to Saint Vincent. And our alumni are very influential in helping our grads get jobs. Our students have invested in a quality education and that preparation, coupled with our networking events, internships, mentoring and career counseling, can help them do whatever they choose.”

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Photo: Courtney Baum, director of the Saint Vincent College Career Center